Onkyo 502

 

New member
Username: Duckwing

Post Number: 1
Registered: Dec-04
Hello,

I just purchased the Onkyo 502 receiver. Is this is a good receiver? I am also having trouble increasing the volume to my surround speakers through the receiver. Is this possible through most receivers? If anyone actually has a 502, could you please tell me how to do it?

Thanks all.
 

TamapAl
Unregistered guest
I just purchase the 502 and really like it. not sure why you can't adjust the volume to your surround sound speakers. go into setup from the remote. in "Sp Config" make sure you don't have "none" selected for your surrond sound speakers. choose "small" or "large" then go to "Level Cal". you should be able to adjust the db.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Riches1

Atlanta, GA US

Post Number: 70
Registered: Apr-04
AJP

the 502 was the top pick for that price range by audioholics.com.

Yes, for the money, it is a good receiver.
 

New member
Username: Duckwing

Post Number: 8
Registered: Dec-04
Thanks for the replies guys,

Got a few other questions though.

1. I can't seem to get any bass with Polk's reccomended setup. I have the POLK RM20 5.1 system with the Onkyo 502. POLK reccomends the center and rear channels wired into the receiver, and the front 2 channels through the sub. There is then a connection from the sub to the front channels inputs on the receiver. I get no bass at all through the sub. I have the receiver set correctly according to POLK and Onkyo, that is on the receiver : turn sub off, front speakers set to large, other speakers set to small. Could this be a faulty receiver? I have tried connecting all speakers through the sub, and then using a sub cable going from the LFE input on the sub to the sub-preout on the receiver. Using this method I get bass but have been told you get better bass response by using speaker wire instead of the LFE input.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

2. Having a little trouble with DTS. I have a couple of DTS movies. My DVD player supports DTS, as does the Onkyo 502. When I set the DVD player to play the DTS 5.1 track I get no sound. I tried every sound format you can switch to on the receiver (ex. Prologic IIx, Neo:6, etc), but still get no sound for the DTS track. Any suggestions on what should I do or what may be wrong? Wrong setup? Faulty receiver maybe?


Thanks again guys, I look forward to your ideas and suggestions.
 

TampaAl
Unregistered guest
AJP
receiver set up is the same as I have on my 502. I have Bose Acoustimas 7(double cubes L-C-R and a sub). I replaced the center cube with a Polk CS1 center channel spkr and added Bose 301's as my surround L-R. the Bose sub has no provision to connect to the 502 sub preout. my L-R cubes connect thru the sub. the 301's and CS1 are connected directly to the 502. I have no rear spkrs. I get plenty of base from my setup.
are you sure you have the base adjustments on the receiver set to a high enough db?? I have the base set at 10db, treble at 6db.
also be absolutely sure all of the speaker/receiver connections are positive to positive, negative to negative and have clean connections at the spkr and receiver(no strands touching the other terminal).
the DTS thing-no clue.
 

New member
Username: Duckwing

Post Number: 9
Registered: Dec-04
Thanks for the response Tampa.

Figured out the DTS prob, just had to properly configure my dvd player.

As for my other problem, going to be playing around with the receiver the sub. Not sure which one could be causing the problem.

Anyone have any thoughts on the POLK RM2O, my current system, vs the BOSE Acoustimass 10?

They are both the same prices, around $1000.

Thanks again.
 

TampaAl
Unregistered guest
AJP
Polk is a great speaker for the price. the Polk CS1 center channel speaker blew away the Bose center when I listened to them side by side. however I am very pleased with my AM7 and 301's. my advise demo each and go with the one that sounds best to you. speaker preference is very subjective.
 

New member
Username: Duckwing

Post Number: 10
Registered: Dec-04
Hello again,

I have been told that the Polk RM20 5.1 is too powerful in terms of wattage for the Onkyo 502. Could this be true? The salesperson at Fry's Electronics said that because the RM20 is too powerful for the 502, the 502 will most likely burn out after a while. He reccomended the Onkyo 602 or 702. Any ideas or thoughts anyone?

btw. RM20 is about proportional to the Acoustimass 15 from Bose in sound quality.

 

E. Ramsey
Unregistered guest
First and foremost, speaker wattage ratings are relatively meaningless since most speakers will handle higher power input in terms of wattage than they are rated for. To adress AJ P questions, I think the salesman is probably right. I have auditioned several Onkyo recievers and most of them save the THX models, and the flagship models will have trouble with low sensitivity and/or low impedence speakers which is typical amoung Polk speakers. Go ahead and buy the setup you described, but if the receiver seems to be constantly going into protection mode-shutting off with moderate volume I would return the speakers and consider a more sensitive speaker. Polk Audio makes a fine speaker, but low sensitivity around 86 to 87 dcbl seems to be characteristic of their speakers and they will suck every watt of power that you throw at them. They are best driven by a powerful seperates to make them really shine. E.Ramsey AAS industrial electronics
 

Bronze Member
Username: Riches1

Atlanta, GA US

Post Number: 86
Registered: Apr-04
I would be extremely surprised if the Onkyo 502 could not drive the Polk RM20 to room filling levels of volume.

Check with crutchfield.com for price comparisons on both components. I have found Fry's to be a little pricey.
 

Treeboy
Unregistered guest
How does the 502 compare with the TX-LR552?
http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=TX-LR552&class=Receiver&p=i

I thought I had finally decided on the 502 and the 240 speakers, but then somewhere this one popped up. Has it been recently released or have I just totally missed it?

From what I can tell, the 552 doesn't have WRAT, loses an input, and only puts out 65w (at 6 ohms nonetheless), but adds component video upconversion in a smaller package with some extra bells and whistles (onscreen menus, etc.).

As an A/V receiver, looks to be more V than A. But how does it sound and stack up to 502? Also, I cannot tell from Onkyo's website specs that it has A/B Speaker switching.

Any thoughts and opinions would be appreciated!
 

TampaAl
Unregistered guest
Treeboy
don't know anything about the 552. however do own the 502. I live in Florida and our homes have very open floor plans and 10-11 foot ceilings. the volume control range is 1-79 and at about 35-40 there is more than enough sound to fill my family room and more. I have Bose AM7, Bose 301 for the surrond L-R and a Polk CS1 center. All sounds good to me.
by the way the 502 does have speaker A-B connections and swithch.
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